Question

A client with diabetes mellitus must learn how to self-administer insulin. the physician has ordered 10 units of u-100 regular insulin and 35 units of u-100 isophane insulin suspension (nph) to be taken before breakfast. when teaching the client how to select and rotate insulin injection sites, the nurse should provide which instruction?

Answer 1

The nurse should instruct the client to rotate injection sites within the same anatomic region. Rotating sites among different regions may cause excessive day-to-day variations in the blood glucose level; also, insulin absorption differs from one region to the next. Insulin should be injected only into healthy tissue lacking large blood vessels, nerves, or scar tissue or other deviations. Injecting insulin into areas of hypertrophy may delay absorption. The client shouldn't inject insulin into areas of lipodystrophy (such as hypertrophy or atrophy). To prevent lipodystrophy, the client should rotate injection sites systematically and use one anatomical region for a week. Exercise speeds drug absorption, so the client shouldn't inject insulin into sites above muscles that will be exercised heavily.